Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 3(1):1-6, 2006. (www.theissn.

org)

Dietary Supplements and Sports Performance:

Herbals
Melvin Williams

Department of Exercise Science, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. Address correspondence to
mwilliam@odu.edu

Received April 17, 2006/Accepted April 20, 2006.

ABSTRACT

This is the fourth in a series of six articles to discuss the major classes of dietary supplements (vitamins;
minerals; amino acids; herbs or botanicals; metabolites, constituents/extracts, or combinations). The major
focus is on efficacy of such dietary supplements to enhance exercise or sport performance. Journal of the
International Society of Sports Nutrition. 3(1):1-6, 2006

Key Words: sports supplements, sports nutrition, herbs, botanicals, metabolites, extracts.

HERBALS: ERGOGENIC THEORY increasing energy, inducing weight loss, promoting

Plants provide us with most nutrients essential for
life. Other than essential nutrients, plant foods
contain naturally occurring substances, referred to
respectively as phytochemicals. Herbals, which are
derived from leaves, bark, berries, roots, gums, seeds,
stems or flowers of plants, also contain numerous
phytochemicals thought to have nutritive or
medicinal value. Herbs have been used as medicine
throughout history. Winslow and Kroll 1 reported the
earliest evidence of human use of plants for healing
dates back to the Neanderthal period, and today
various modern medicines may be classified as
herbals. Thus, herbals are regulated as medicine in
some countries, such as Germany, but as dietary
supplements in others. Currently in the United States
most herbals are regulated by the Dietary Supplement
Health and Education Act (DSHEA), more like food
ingredients than drugs. However, given the
pharmacological effect of various herbals, some
health professionals are emphasizing the need for
regulations standardizing herbal therapy 2.
Herbals are popular dietary supplements. In the most
recent NHANES report, approximately 7 percent of
the U. S. population takes herbal or botanical dietary
supplements 3. Athletes also take herbal supplements.
For example, Herbold and others 4 reported that 17
percent of female collegiate athletes used
herbal/botanical supplements. Herbal dietary
supplements are marketed to physically active
individuals for a variety of reasons, including
muscle growth, or inducing other physiological or
metabolic responses that may enhance exercise
performance. For example, the product SportPharm
contains multiple herbals, including Thermadrene,
Ma Huang, Guarana, Caffeine, Purple Willow Bark,
Cayenne pepper, and Ginger root, and is designed to
increase mental alertness, stimulate fat-burning
metabolism, and help enhance physical performance.
Some sports drinks and sports bars contain herbals as
well.
Research supports beneficial medicinal effects of
specific herbs for specific health problems, as
documented in Herbal Medicine: Expanded
Commission E Monographs 5 and WHO Monographs
on Selected Medicinal Plants 6. Unfortunately,
however, with a few exceptions research
investigating the ergogenic effects of herbal
supplements is limited. The following discussion
highlights available research with selected herbal
products; other plant-derived substances, such as
caffeine and ephedrine, will be discussed in a
forthcoming issue.
HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS: ERGOGENIC
EFFICACY
Capsaicin. The Capsicum species (C. annuum; C.
frutescens), native to tropical America, incorporates
such peppers as the cayenne, red, and chili. The
medicinal properties of the capsicum species are
attributable to a compound known as capsaicin 7.

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition©. A National Library of Congress Indexed Journal. ISSN # 1550-2783
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 3(1):1-6, 2006. (www.theissn.org)
The United States Pharmacopeia has classified
capsaicin as a stimulant, and based on their previous
research Lim and others 8 have related its
physiological action to caffeine, i.e., ingestion may
induce sympathetic activation of the central nervous
system, increasing catecholamine secretion and
enhancing lipid oxidation, sparing the use of
glycogen.
Some research supports this hypothesis. For example,
when fed capsaicin (2 mg/kg), males at rest and
exposed to immersion in cold water had a significant
decrease in carbohydrate as an energy source 9.
However, limited research is available regarding the
effect of capsaicin on carbohydrate metabolism
during exercise. In a well-designed study, Lim and
others 8 evaluated the effect of a breakfast meal
containing 10 g of dried, hot red pepper on energy
substrate use in male runners during rest and exercise
(cycling at about 60 percent VO2max). For the red
pepper trial, plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine
concentrations were significantly elevated after 30
min, but not at 60 and 150 min of rest. The hot
pepper meal significantly elevated the respiratory
quotient (RQ) and blood lactate levels at rest and
during exercise, but there was no effect on oxygen
consumption or energy expenditure during rest or
exercise. These results suggest that contrary to the
theory of glycogen sparing, hot red pepper ingestion
stimulates carbohydrate oxidation at rest and during
exercise. The authors suggested that hot red pepper
ingestion before exercise could decrease endurance
performance in athletes due to associated muscle
and/or liver glycogen depletion. Currently, no
scientific evidence is available to support an
ergogenic effect of capsaicin supplementation.
Additional research is merited.
Ginkgo biloba. The Chinese Ginkgo tree is the
world's most ancient extant, originating two hundred
million years ago, and is the source for Ginkgo biloba
leaf extract. Ginkgo biloba is believed to exert its
mode of action when its active ingredients, the
flavonoids and terpenoids, work in concert 10. One of
the tissue level effects is stimulated release of
endothelium-derived relaxing factor, which may
enhance muscle tissue blood flow through improved
microcirculation 11. Such an effect could improve
aerobic endurance by enhancing muscle tissue
oxidation.
Most Ginkgo biloba supplementation research has
been conducted in the elderly, primarily for its
vasoregulatory and cognition-enhancing effects. A
meta-analysis 12 and several subsequent studies 13,14
2
have shown that Ginkgo biloba improves exercise
performance, as evaluated by walking distance, in
patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
However, although Ginkgo biloba supplementation
may improve exercise endurance in patients with
PAD, there is no evidence that similar effects occur
in healthy young or older athletes.
Ginseng. Ginseng is one of the most popular herbal
dietary supplements worldwide. Sales in the United
States have been reported to be over $300 million
annually 15. Ginseng consists of several species
belonging to the plant family Araliaceae. The two
major forms are Chinese, Korean or Asian ginseng
which belong to the genus Panax, and Siberian or
Russian ginseng which belongs to the genus
Eleutherococcus 16. The biologically active
constituents in Panax ginseng are a complex mixture
of triterpene saponins known as ginsenosides.
Siberian, or Russian, ginseng consists of the dried
roots and rhizome of Eleutherococcus senticosis, and
contains phenolics, polysaccharides, and
eleutherosides. In China, Eleutherococcus senticosus
is known as wujiaseng or Ciwujia, and the proposed
active ingredients are ciwujianosides 17.
The ergogenic effect of ginseng is attributed to the
ginsenosides, eleutherosides, and ciwujianosides.
Ginseng is theorized to influence the hypothalamic-
pituitary-adrenal cortex axis, possibly mitigating the
catabolic effects of the stress hormone cortisol.
Given these theorized anti-stress effects, one theory
of ginseng supplementation is to enhance sports
performance by allowing athletes to train more
intensely or to induce an antifatiguing effect and
increase stamina during competition. Other theories
have been proposed to explain the potential ergogenic
effect on aerobic endurance capacity, including
favorable metabolic, hematologic, and cardiovascular
functions. Given these postulates, much of the
research involving the ergogenicity of ginseng
supplementation has focused on cardiovascular or
aerobic endurance performance, with some emphasis
on psychomotor performance 18.
Earlier research findings relative to the effect of
ginseng on endurance performance are equivocal.
For example, one reviewer 19 indicated that controlled
studies of Asian ginseng found improvement in
exercise performance with use of standardized
extracts, long duration of supplementation, large
numbers of subjects, and elderly subjects. However,
most earlier studies reporting positive ergogenic
effects have been associated with improper research
methodology, including no control or placebo group,
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 3(1):1-6, 2006. (www.theissn.org)
no double-blind protocol, no randomization of order
of treatment, no statistical analysis, or the use of
nonstandardized commercial ginseng preparations
containing other potential ergogenic substances
20,15,18
. Several recent studies have reported ergogenic
effects of Panax ginseng. Liang and others 21 reported
that Panax ginseng supplementation (1.35 g/day for
30 days) significantly increased cycle ergometer
endurance time in untrained adults. Also using
untrained adults, Kim and others 22 found that eight
weeks supplementation with Panax ginseng extract (6
g/day) enhanced performance in treadmill running
time which, based on serum levels of antioxidant
enzymes, was attributed to decreased oxidative stress.
However, this one-group study involved a control
pre-test followed by a post-test after the eight-week
supplementation period; no placebo was utilized.
The vast majority of well-controlled studies have
reported no significant effect of either Panax
ginseng, eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim L,
Ciwujia, or a standardized ginseng extract on
cardiovascular, metabolic, or psychologic responses
to either submaximal or maximal exercise
performance, or on maximal or supramaximal
performance capacity 23,17,24,25,26. Several recent
extensive reviews of well-designed studies have
concluded that there is an absence of compelling
research evidence regarding the efficacy of ginseng
use to improve physical performance in humans
15,16,18
, with one of the reviews focusing solely on
eleutherococcus senticosus 28. Well-controlled
studies and detailed reviews indicate that ginseng in
its various forms does not enhance exercise or sport
performance.
Kava kava (kava) and St. Johns wort. Kava kava, or
kava, is the peeled and dried root of Piper
methysticum G. Forster, a centuries-old South Pacific
herb used as a ritual beverage for its relaxing or
calming properties. Kava root contains kava lactones
(kava pyrones). The neuropharmacologic effects of
kava include analgesia, sedation, and skeletal muscle
relaxation, but not central nervous system depression.
The mechanism is not clear, but blockage of the
GABA or norepinephrine neuroreceptors may be
involved 5,29. St. John's wort (SJW) consists of the
dried parts of Hypericum perforatum. SJW contains
many phytochemicals, including flavonoids, phenolic
acids, sterols, tannins, two naphthodianthrones
(hypericin and pseudohypericin), and a Compared to a placebo group, weight-trained males
phloroglucinol derivative (hyperforin). SJW is used
therapeutically as an antidepressant. Hyperforin is
thought to be the primary active ingredient in
antidepressant activity, but hypericin and
3
pseudohypericin may also be important. All are
thought to help maintain optimal brain
neurotransmitter levels including serotonin,
norepinephrine and dopamine 5,29.
Kava is theorized to reduce excess anxiety and/or
hand tremor that may disrupt performance in many
sports, such as archery and pistol shooting. Kava has
been marketed for its antidepressant or anti-anxiety
effects, a possible alternative to prohibited or
potentially risky ergogenic drugs in such sports, such
as alcohol and beta blockers 30. Comparable to kava,
SJW may be theorized to reduce anxiety and hand
tremor in some athletes 31. Additionally, as serotonin
is involved in appetite control, SJW is theorized to
help induce weight loss, which could confer a
mechanical advantage to some athletes.
A recent meta-analysis has suggested that kava
extract may be effective for reduction of anxiety
symptoms 32, while reviews and meta-analyses of
research with St. John’s wort conclude its effects on
treatment of depression are inconsistent and
confusing, some showing benefits comparable to
standard antidepressant drugs while others noting
minimal beneficial effects 33-35. Unfortunately,
however, no research evaluating the potential
ergogenic effect of kava or SJW supplementation on
exercise or sport performance has been uncovered.
Moreover, no data are available supporting SJW as a
means of promoting leanness in athletes 18.
Gamma oryzanol and Tribulus terrestris. Gamma-
oryzanol, a mixture of ferulic acid esters of sterol and
triterpene alcohols occurs in rice (Oryza stavia) bran
oil at a level of 1-2 percent. Tribulus terrestris,
commonly known as puncture vine, is an herbal
preparation that has been used medicinally as a
diuretic as well as treatment for hypertension and
hypercholesterolemia, and has been used for
centuries in Europe as treatment for impotence. The
purported active ingredients are saponins and
protodyosin. As ergogenic aids, both gamma
oryzanol and Tribulus terrestris are used in the belief
that they may elicit anabolic effects via increased
testosterone production 36,37,18.
Although limited, the available research does not
support an ergogenic effect of either gamma-oryzanol
or Tribulus terrestris supplementation in humans.
who consumed 500 mg/day of gamma-oryzanol for 9
weeks of resistance exercise training experienced no
significant differences in circulating concentrations
of hormones (testosterone, human growth hormone,
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 3(1):1-6, 2006. (www.theissn.org)
insulin), nor was there any improvement in muscular
power or strength 38. Neychev and Mitev 39 found that
consumption of either 10 or 20 mg/kg body weight of
Tribulus terrestris extract daily for four weeks had no
effect on serum testosterone or androstenedione.
Also, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study,
Tribulus terrestris supplementation exerted no effect
on body weight, body composition, maximal strength
or muscular endurance in resistance-trained males
during training; plasma testosterone levels were not
measured 36.
OTHER PURPORTED HERBAL ERGOGENICS
Several other herbals have been studied for their
purported ergogenic potential. Cordyceps sinensis is
theorized to have favorable effects on the heart and
circulation to improve oxidative capacity and
endurance performance. Natural Cordyceps sinensis
is rare, but a synthetic version is available; one
version is CordyMax Cs-4. Parcell and others 40
reported that 5 weeks of CordyMax Cs-4
supplementation had no effect on aerobic capacity or
endurance exercise performance in endurance-trained
male cyclists. Rhodiola rosea has been theorized to
enhance endurance performance through a
stimulating effect. In a preliminary study, De Bock
and others 41 found that an acute dose (200
milligrams) of Rhodiola rosea improved time to
exhaustion by 3 percent on a cycle ergometer, but
there was no significant effect following four weeks
of supplementation with 200 milligrams daily. There
was no effect on maximal strength or various
measures of reaction time or movement time. Using
combinations of such herbals have also been shown
to have no ergogenic effect. Colson and others 42 and
Earnest and others 43 evaluated the ergogenic effects
of a Cordyceps sinensis and Rhodiola rosea-based
supplement and reported no significant effects on
oxygen dynamics, various physiological measures, or
cycling time to exhaustion. Cytoseira canariensis has
been marketed to increase muscle mass and decrease
body fat by inhibiting myostatin, a growth and
differentiation factor whose role is to inhibit (not
promote) the growth of muscles. However,
Willoughby 44 reported that 1,200 milligrams/day of
Cystoseira canariensis supplementation during 12
weeks of resistance training had no effect on serum
myostatin levels, not did it have any effect on muscle
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Numerous herbal supplements are marketed as
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